LAHORE CULTURAL DIARY: Lifestyle Exhibition, third anniversary of Nur Jehan and Christmas

The two-day: Lifestyles Exhibition and the observance of the third death anniversary of Melody Queen Nur Jehan followed by Christmas festivities were the major highlights of the week in Lahore this past week.
The two-day (Dec. 20-21) All About Lifestyles Exhibition 2003 held at Lahore Polo Club grounds under the aegis of a national English daily attracted thousands of visitors representing all walks of life. Over 100 stalls displaying various consumer goods, commercial products and food items attracted the attention of the visitors to the exhibition. For children there were hot air balloons, aero modeling and fireworks, and for the adults there were such attractions as painting competitions, dog show, domestic kitchen appliances, ethnic furniture, mobile phones and more.
At a corner of the exhibition site, entertainers kept children and young students busy in quiz competitions and various games. Besides, there were the jumping castle and remote control cars, which tickled the fascination of the youth. An all breed dog show and a polo match attracted large number of visitors to this annual exhibition on the second day.
Included in the category of consumer goods were refrigerators, air-conditioners, mobile phones, washing machines, food processors, cameras, beverages, biscuit, fruit products, ethnic furniture, ceramics and items of stationery. Estimated two lakhs residents of Lahore visited the exhibition, which was the second organized in the city in two years.
The ten-day exhibition of miniatures and paintings of about 40 students of the Institute of Fine Arts and Design, University of the Punjab was opened at Co-opera Art Gallery, Lahore, on December 22. A large number of art students, art lovers, critics and media persons viewed the exhibition on the first day.
The third death anniversary of Melody Queen Nur Jehan, the singer who recorded thousands of popular film songs, was observed in Lahore on December 23. Her offspring, including her grandchildren along with a large number of her fans, politicians and representatives of film industry attended obituary meetings at which rich tributes were paid to the virtuosity of the late singer. Born as Allah Wasayee at Kasur in 1928, the legendary celebrity of the world of entertainment died in Karachi on December 23, 2003 after protracted illness. Almost all TV networks telecast special programmes designed to highlight the achievements of the late singer and her contributions to the flowering of what is now known as film music.
On December 24, the Tourist Street in Old Anarkali, Lahore, which was inaugurated by the Governor of the Punjab last year, completed its first year on December 24. The Parks and Horticulture Authority, whose brainchild the Street was, formally celebrated its first birthday with some fanfare, which included fireworks, puppet show and performances by folk singers and musicians. Both Pakistani and foreign tourists have visited the street in thousands.
Inaugurating the 18th National Exhibition of the Artists' Association of Punjab on December 24, provincial Governor Khalid Maqbool announced the intention of the government to give autonomy to the Punjab University Institute of Arts and Design to promote creative activities, including culture and the latest developments in performing arts. Works of over 100 artists from all over the country were on display at the exhibition. The Governor also said that the government wanted to expand the Fine Arts Department in the Lahore College for Women University on the same pattern.
Christmas, the birthday of Jesus Christ was celebrated in Lahore on December 25 with traditional fanfare and religious fervour. Special services were held in all the churches of the city, in which a large number of Muslim friends of the Christians also participated to show solidarity with the Christian community. Carol singing and special melas (fairs) for the children were the highlights of the celebrations, which began at midnight on December 24 and continued till dusk on December 26.
The Muslim members of the local fraternity of musicians fully cooperated with their Christian compatriots in arranging special music programmes at different places in the city, which again were attended by a sizeable number of Muslim residents of Lahore.